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The ''Avion III'' (sometimes referred to as the ''Aquilon'' or the ''Éole III'') was a steam-powered aircraft built by
Image:Avion III Art et Metiers.jpg, Avion III at
Clément Ader
Clément Ader (2 April 1841 – 3 May 1925) was a French inventor and engineer who was born near Toulouse in Muret, Haute-Garonne, and died in Toulouse. He is remembered primarily for his pioneering work in aviation. In 1870 he was also one ...
between 1892 and 1897, financed by the French War Office.
Retaining the same bat-like configuration of the '' Éole'', the ''Avion III'' was equipped with two engines driving two propellers. While the earlier aircraft had no means of directional control at all, this one was equipped with a rudder.
Trials began at the Satory
Satory is an area south of Versailles in France. It is mostly known for its military camp, housing:
* Weapon-testing facilities of Nexter Systems
* Barracks and facilities for Gendarmerie including the GIGN headquarters and the Mobile Genda ...
army base near Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, ...
on 12 October 1897, with the aircraft taxiing along a circular track. On 14 October 1897, it took off but turned halfway around and then stopped. Later in his life, Ader claimed that there had been a flight of 100 m (328 ft) on this day, and said he had two witnesses to confirm it. Regardless, the French military was unimpressed with the demonstration and cancelled any further funding.
The machine is preserved at the ''Musée des Arts et Métiers
The Musée des Arts et Métiers () (French for Museum of Arts and Crafts) is an industrial design museum in Paris that houses the collection of the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers, which was founded in 1794 as a repository for the pr ...
'' in Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
. It underwent extensive restoration in the 1980s.
Specifications (Avion III)
Gallery
Musée des Arts et Métiers
The Musée des Arts et Métiers () (French for Museum of Arts and Crafts) is an industrial design museum in Paris that houses the collection of the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers, which was founded in 1794 as a repository for the pr ...
.
Image:Avion_III_steam_engine_back.jpg, Steam engine of Eole III (seen from the back), with pressure valve. Musée des Arts et Métiers.
Image:Avion III bottom profile.jpg, View from below.
See also
References
{{Ader aircraft 19th-century French experimental aircraft Steam-powered aircraft Gull-wing aircraft